News Releases

June 12, 2009

Management Contracts Awarded for Kirksville & Pacific License Offices

Management contracts for two more local motor vehicle/license offices were awarded today by the Missouri Department of Revenue. The granting of the offices came as a result of a comprehensive bidding process that has been championed by Gov. Jay Nixon.

The two offices awarded today are in Kirksville and Pacific. This brings to 22 the total number of offices granted under the new system.

Judy J. Albin has been awarded the contract to operate the Kirksville License Office. She has been the office agent since 1993, and she was the only bidder. The office will remain at 112 E. Washington St.

The license office in Pacific has been awarded to the incumbent agent, the Pacific Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber, which was the sole bidder for the office, has been in charge of office operations since 1981. The office will remain at its current location of 333 Chamber Dr.

Details about any changes in office operations, if any, will be announced by the agents.

The two offices awarded today are the latest to have their management chosen using a bidding process that was implemented when Gov. Nixon took office on Jan. 12. The process calls for people or groups to submit detailed bids to obtain the management contracts to operate the offices.

Karen King Mitchell, director of the Missouri Department of Revenue, said she is pleased with how the competition for license offices has progressed.

“The process to compete for the right to operate these offices is transparent and open to anyone,” Mitchell said. “It’s been gratifying to see the quality of the bids that have resulted from this new process because the ultimate winners will be the citizens of the state of Missouri.”

Some winning bidders have chosen to return part of their estimated office revenues to the state. The Kirksville office will return 1 percent ($1,419) of its first year revenues. The Pacific Chamber of Commerce did not bid to return any revenues. The cumulative amount of estimated funds that will be returned to the state in the first contract year from the 22 license offices that have been awarded so far is $117,827.

“The willingness of agents to return some of their profits is a great cost-efficiency measure for the state, and the amount returned to the state will undoubtedly grow as more bids are awarded,” Mitchell said.

All 183 local license offices provide services that are overseen by the Missouri Department of Revenue, but each office is operated by an independent contractor. Transactions that are conducted at these offices include the issuance and renewal of driver licenses, applying for titles for motor vehicles, and the issuance and renewal of registration for motor vehicles, boats and outboard motors.

Additional information on the bids will be posted by the Missouri Office of Administration within the next few days.